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Home > Family > Childhood Immunization Schedule Is Safe Says New Study

Childhood Immunization Schedule Is Safe Says New Study

by Carolyn Buchanan on January 18, 2013

Carolyn Buchanan

About the Author

B.C. (before children), Carolyn was trained as a journalist — a generalist journalist. Now as a parent, she experiences news differently. What was once an item of passing interest, i.e. "Toy Train Runs on Lead Paint" or "Midnight Release Planned for Latest Power Rangers Movie" now consumes her life. Still she trains her eye to find the family relevance in everything new, and that's what she endeavors to share with you here. As a parent, and a writer for What to Expect, she will be your family-news filter (with a personal twist).

About the Blog

WhatToExpect.com supports Word of Mom as a place to share stories and highlight the many perspectives and experiences of pregnancy and parenting. However, the opinions expressed in this section are those of individual writers and do not reflect the views of Heidi Murkoff of the What to Expect brand.

As any parent of a two-year old can tell you, keeping up to date on the recommended doses of vaccines can be challenging. Yet, 90 percent of parents have been compliant in keeping their families immunized according to the specifications of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the agencies that select the vaccines and set the schedule, respectively.

Under the current federal childhood immunization schedule, children younger than six may receive as many as 24 immunizations by their second birthday, given in amounts ranging from one to five injections during a pediatric visit. In recent years, some parents have expressed concerns about the frequency and amount of vaccines being given and selected not to follow the CDC recommendations. In light of their concerns, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) decided to undertake the most comprehensive examination of the immunization schedule to date. The results of its study have just been released: It uncovered "no evidence of major safety concerns associated with adherence to the childhood immunization schedule."

It is unlikely that this study will quell the concerns of those parents who choose not to immunize or to pursue vaccinations on their own schedules. The IOM report acknowledges their issues: "Some critics of immunization policies have called for studies comparing health outcomes among vaccinated and unvaccinated children and for research to determine if subgroups exist that are predisposed to experiencing harmful health effects from the vaccines."

But for most of us, this news is reassuring. Studies have repeatedly shown the health benefits associated with the recommended schedule, including fewer illnesses, deaths, and hospital stays.

The Centers for Disease Control has an "easy-to-read" immunization schedule available on their Web site. The recommended immunization schedule is designed to protect infants and children early in life, when they are most vulnerable and before they are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. Still it is always best to discuss your child and any concerns with your pediatrician.